ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — After a shortened public-comment period, the Bureau of Land Management is planning to open land in the Greater Chaco region to more oil and gas development, even as Congress considers legislation to protect the culturally significant area.

Miya King-Flaherty with the Rio Grande Sierra Club said the BLM is proposing up to 40 new fracking wells and 22 miles of new pipeline northwest of the community of Lybrook on the Navajo Nation. Previous administrations followed the National Environmental Policy Act and held 60-day public-comment periods, she said. But this one was only 10 days.

"The public just doesn't have ample time to be able to comment or oppose, or provide their reasons for why continued expansion of fracking is going to be a detriment to the area,” King-Flaherty said.

In Congress, the Chaco Cultural Heritage Protection Act would prevent any future leasing or mineral development on federal lands within a 10-mile radius around Chaco National Historical Park. Earlier this month, in a win for environmental groups, a federal court ruled some previous oil and gas drilling and fracking permits approved by the BLM for the region were illegal.

The appeals court ruling stemmed from a 2015 lawsuit holding the BLM failed to consider the cumulative impacts to air, water and the Navajo Nation in its environmental assessment. Kyle Tisdel, energy program director and attorney with the Western Environmental Law Center, noted the court reversed only 25 drilling permits - but said it was still a big win.

"I think not only will it reset the agency in terms of its decision-making processes going forward, but there are a whole host of decisions that the agency has already made over the last four or five years that are vulnerable based on the court's decision,” Tisdel said.

Last week, the BLM stripped its conservation-focused mission statement from agency news releases. The releases previously noted that the BLM sought to "sustain America's public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations." The new language highlights the "economic" value of public lands.

King-Flaherty said the BLM needs to remember the public is watching.

"This is just another systematic way for the BLM to make sure the public's concerns are not considered,” she said. “And it also goes to show that the BLM is really just prioritizing industry profit over protecting the environment, community health and safety."

The BLM oversees more than 248 million acres of public land, primarily in the Western US.

Residents of the Montana town of Lincoln are working to create a new economic development plan adding recreational opportunities and wilderness, while also preventing wildfires. It has been a long and delicate balancing act but people involved in the issue said they have come up with a successful proposal.

Lincoln is a sliver of privately owned property nestled between huge swaths of public lands along the Continental Divide. It came of age during the 1800s gold-mining era. When the gold panned out, Lincoln shifted to logging. Now, with the practice limited, the town has developed a new plan for its viability.

Bill Cyr has lived in Lincoln for most of his life and said the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal is the next step toward economic success while also creating a new wilderness area and preventing catastrophic wildfires. It also allows some logging and added trails for motorized vehicles, mountain bikers and hikers, all of which appeal to recreation enthusiasts who come from Great Falls, Helena and Missoula.

"A lot of those people living in those larger communities commute to Lincoln on the weekends," Cyr explained. "To hunt, to fish, to camp, to go hiking, to go motorbiking or four-wheeling or whatever their form of recreation is."

Cyr contended the proposal will keep visitors coming to Lincoln and serve as an economic development tool. But it will take an act of Congress to make it a reality. Cyr said the group is asking Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., to introduce the Lincoln Prosperity Proposal in Washington next year.

Russ Ehnes, president of the Montana Trail Vehicle Riders Association, is pleased with how much recreation area is added, especially in light of Montana's shifting economic landscape.

"Snowmobiling, ATVing, side-by-side riding are becoming much more important to the economy of Lincoln," Ehnes asserted. "And also for the quality of life for the local people who ride there."

Ehnes added even though the plan calls for adding wilderness area, it does not close any trails and in fact makes more of them available for motorized vehicle riders.


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Have you ever wanted to see the California redwoods, play in the Sierra snow, take a dip at the beach or just throw a family barbecue at the park? This week, the state just launched a new strategic plan to make it happen for more people.

California just launched the "Outdoors for All Strategy," which aims to make the state's natural spaces more accessible, more welcoming and less expensive.

Katherine Toy, deputy secretary for access at the California Natural Resources Agency, said giving more people the opportunity to spend time outdoors will benefit the entire state.

"We'll know we're successful when everyone can regularly experience the outdoors without financial burden," Toy explained. "While also feeling a sense of belonging and when outdoor spaces really celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of California."

The strategy maps out a six-point plan to reduce the nature gap by building more parks and green space, improving public transportation to natural areas, prioritizing the needs of local community members, building pathways to make the workforce at parks and their parent agencies more diverse. The program will guide agencies such as the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Water Resources and CalFire as they try to mitigate climate change and preserve 30% of the state's land by 2030.

Toy noted she is particularly proud of a program to help people get into state parks for free.

"California State Parks now has a partnership with libraries throughout the state in which people can check out a park pass just like they check out a library book," Toy emphasized. "That's one example of how our departments are working to reduce the barriers that connect people to the outdoors."

Toy added the vision is going to require resources and strong partnerships between all levels of government, the private sector and philanthropy.

North Dakota's firearm deer-hunting season kicks off Nov. 10, and pheasant hunting is already underway. Conservation voices have some guidance on how to be a good steward of the land.

If you're planning a hunting trip this fall, the nonprofit Backcountry Hunters & Anglers hopes you keep certain conservation rules in mind.

Trey Curtiss, the group's conservation programs coordinator, said obvious tips include not littering or lighting campfires in extremely dry areas, even with North Dakota seeing plenty of snow already. He added that when you take down an animal, you should try to make use of most of the carcass to avoid any waste. It goes beyond the meat that's collected.

"Thinking about ways that you can use more, whether it's bones for stock or some of the entrails for a 'dirty rice' recipe," he said, "and then, even maybe some of the hair or feathers for fly-tying, and things like that."

The fly tying he refers to involves using feathers for fly-fishing hooks. Curtiss also urged people to train and practice as much as possible to avoid firing unnecessary rounds. Being in good enough shape to remove meat from an animal quickly and get it on ice is another way to avoid waste.

If you're successful, Curtiss said, avoid taking a gratuitous picture with the animal and posting it on social media. He said many states still face challenges in attracting a new generation of hunters and can't afford to turn off more people to the sport.

"I think it's noteworthy that hunters be respectful and realize that their audience isn't always just hunters," he said. "There are other folks that are going to be looking on, and it's up to us to ensure that we promote hunting in the best light possible."

He reminded people that a lot of wildlife conservation funding in the United States comes from taxes and fees on hunting and fishing. As for waterfowl hunting, Curtiss stressed not using lead ammunition to avoid harmful elements making their way into the water. The Biden administration has been pushing to phase out lead ammo for hunting on federal lands.


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